Method of embossing and printing sheet metal.



-c. F, A. RAMBERG.. METHOD OF EMBOSSING AND PRINTING SHEET METAL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, I915 Patented May 9,1916.

CHARLES FL a,l t ium:no;or epitome, Missoum.

icense.

Specification of Letters l ateii't.

'nnrrcon ormueoserne nun-gamma seam Marat.

Patented May 9 1916.

Application filed September 9, i915. Serial No. 49,760.

To all whomit may concern Be it' known that 1, CHARLES F. A. RAM- BERG,a citizen'o'f the United States of America, a resident of the city ofSt. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in' Methods of Embossing and Printing Sheet Metal, of whichmetal.

clhe methods heretofore in vogue for the production of embossed andprinted sheet metal have necessitated two or more opera color thereon,which is designed to be parv tially covered by printing ink Whiletheremainder is uncovered by printing ink to bring into prominence theembossed design or characters.

I may here mention the two methods oi which I am aware which have beenheretofore followed in making embossed and printed sheet metal. One ofthese methods involves three operations, to wit: lithographing orprinting, then varnishing and finally embossing of the sheet metal. Theother method involves two operations, the first of which is theembossing of the sheet metal and the second the application of printingink to the embossing surfaces, by the use of an inked roller. In neitherof these has the embossing and printing been accomplished in oneoperation, this being due to the fact that, if printing ink was appliedto the metal embossing plate, it would not be properly transferredtherefrom to the surface of the sheet metal being embossed, hence it wasfound necessary to apply the printing ink, as aseparate operation,either before or after the embossing operation.

In carrying out my method I utilize an elastic medium upon the embossingplate to which medium the printing ink is applied,

and I am, therefore enabled to simultane- I ously emboss sheet metal andprint it, inasmuch as the elastic medium holds the ink in such mannerthat it will be evenly and uniformly distributed on the sheet metalsurface intended to receive it.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure I is a fragmentary top or plan viewof my embossing plate. Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross section takenthrough the embossingfpla-te on line HII, Fig. I. Y Fig. III is asection illustrating the use of my embossing plate coated for service,the .view including a plate supporting member and an impression memberat opposite sides of the embossing plate and the sheet metal operatedupon by said embossing plate. Fig. IV is a view of a fragment of anembossed and printed metal sheet.

In carrying out my method, I first produce an embossing plate A, inwhich a design has been deeply etched, so that the plate contains thedesign recesses a. I then apply an elastic coating 13 to the surface ofthe plate A. This elastic coating may be of an suitable material, butpreferably comprises printing ink and gum copal. The printing ink isfirst distributed over the surface of the plateAv and gum copal, inpowdered form, is sprinkled over the ink, after which sufiicient'heat isapplied to the surface of the plate to melt and dry the gum copal to adesired stifiness. The embossing plate A is now ready for service toemboss and print a piece of sheet metal such as indicated by the numeral1.

In performing the embossing and printing operation, the coated and inkedplate A is mounted upon a suitable bed or support 2 and the sheet metalto be embossed and printed is subjected to pressure between said bed orsupport and a suitible impression member 3, see Fig. III. .he impressionmember 3 serves to press the sheet metal against the previously inkedcoating B on the plate A and also to force the portions of the sheetmetal opposed to the recesses a of the design in the embossing plateinto a said recesses, whereby the sheet metal is embossed'simultaneously with the transference of ink from the coating B to thesheet metal. The impression member 3 is preferably of a yielding natureor covered with material which will yield under pressure,and,.consequentlg, the portions of this member op- 'posedto-'theprinting surface of theplate-,A plate to simultaneously embossand print yield sufiiciently to allow of the portions of said metallicsheet. the member opposed to the recesses a in the 2; The method ofembossing and printing, embossing plate acting to press the sheet sheetmetal, which consists in. applying an it 5 metal into said recesses forembossing action. elastic coating, comprising gum co al, to I claim anjembossing plate, inking the sur ace of l. The method of embossing andprinting said elastic coating, and pressing a metallic sheet metal,Which consists in applying an sheet against said embosslng plate tosimulelastic coating to an embossing plate, inking taneously emboss andprint said metallic 20 10 the surface of said elastic coating, and presssheet. s 7 ing a metallic sheet against said embossing CHAS. F. A.RAMBERG.

